A Southern Story
by GooseberryIcecream
Summary: Katier Gardener, a no nonsense, hard news writing journalistist gets sent to the little country town of Ellinis Falls for a story, where a laidback, mischievous local boy Travis Stoll keeps getting in the way! Traite.
1. A Southern Town

A Southern Story

The icy air blowing from the air conditioner blew on Katie Gardeners' face as she scribbled down her notes in the back of a taxi cab. She was damn lucky to have an air conditioned taxi on her trip down to Ellinis, the smallest damn town in Louisiana!

She had been sent to Ellinis Falls for a story for the New York Post. Her editor said some crap about a woman and since Katie was in fact a woman, she was the only qualified enough to do it. From New York to Louisiana. Not exactly the way Katie wanted to spend her Valentine's Day. Not that she had some lovey, dovey, romantic dinner planned or a boyfriend that she'd have to keep her company that night-she still didn't want to be in frickin Ellinis Falls!

"Sug, this where you get out!" The sassy cab driver called back at her. Katie blushed a bit as she fumbled with her notebook. She had a habit of taking notes wherever she was in her little green notepad. ("Cab ride was bumpy and Sookie the cab driver was far too talkative" she had finished writing). She stuffed it back into her Green Peace bag and popped open the door. A wave of heat nearly knocked her back into the car as she got out.

"God almighty its hot out!" She cried out. The cab driver rolled her eyes.

"It's only 87, and its after high noon. Sug we havin' a cold front down here!" Katie groaned as she went and got her suitcase out of the trunk. Back in New York there was seven inches of snow, she hadn't gone to the gym in weeks and she was going to have to wear tank tops, shorts and bikinis.

"Thanks, here." She handed her the faire. " I hope the cold front keeps coming."Katie said politely to Sookie who flashed her a toothy smile.

"I doubt it, with dem Stoll brothers the heats gonna be oooon!" Katie raised an eyebrow and made a mental note to write that down. They had parked under a large, knotted tree with town a few yards away. Sookie apparently didn't want to drive all the way to the hotel.

"um…" The cab driver just laughed.

"Aw Sug, you just the cutest little piece a New York ass aint you? You see the Stoll brothers are a bit tired of the local cuisine, they're gonna be all over you!" She let out a loud laugh again. Katie on the other hand was a little disgusted. She didn't want some creep all over because she was the only girl in town that wasn't his cousin!

"Excuse me ma'am? I'd appreciate it if the _local_ _cuisine_ would let the others know that I'm not here for that sort of thing." She snapped with contempt. But the cabbie just smiled.

"Its dem blonde boys, you'll know 'em riiiight when you see 'em! Have a nice day in Ellinis Falls!" She said before driving off. Katie look warily at the pissant town she was going into. She hoped that they wouldn't get to pissed off at the fact she had chosen to wear cowgirl boots that day. She didn't do it on purpose, they were her favorite shoes! ("Stoll brothers, blonde, bored, going to be all over me. Avoid at all costs!). She started on down towards the town trying to keep her head high.

Ellinis Falls wasn't nearly as teeny, tiny as Katie imagined. Compared to New York it was definitely still tiny but Katie had pictured a one road town with a cliché old general store with an old dog sleeping on the porch. There was a nice cluster of house here, lots of trees. She realized it was basically a swamp town-something she hadn't expected. They were right by the water, most houses had the river as backyard. Katie shivered at the thought of alligators.

She spotted a large purple house("strange color houses" she scribbled down) and there was a young woman with a big sunhat on waving at her.

"Excuuuse me! Are you the New York girl?" The lady asked with a big, almost too friendly smile. She had thick blonde hair and bright red lipstick on("like a golden retriever-in more ways than one"). Katie looked down, she hoped she didn't stand out _that_ much… "Oh don't be self conscious, I've never seen you before and I know just about everybody in town! I'm Maybelle Stoll." A large red flag shot up as she said that and Katie made a mental note("More then Stoll brothers…be wary…").

"Katie Gardener." Katie managed to get out before Maybelle crushed her into a hug. Katie wasn't what you'd call a 'hugger' but Maybelle obviously was!

"I'm so glad you're at Ellinis Falls! You'll fit in right away!" Once she released Katie and she caught her breath, Katie asked:

"I'm supposed to be staying at the local motel, can you point me in the direction-" Maybelle put on a pout.

"I wish you'd called! We'd've made arrangements so you could stay with a family!" Katie forced down a grimace at that thought.

"No, no, I just really need directions!"

"Oh fine, just up Magnolia way. You'll see it!" She went and sat back down on her chair and grabbed a hand fan. But before Katie could leave she leaned forward in her seat and whispered. "Can I ask you a personal question?" Katie warily turned back to Maybelle.

"Maybe…" MAybelle grinned and furtively looked out around the house. Katie felt the need to check too-what on earth was this woman going to ask?

"Are you a hippie?"

Katie was stunned. A hippie? Really? She supposed the Green Peace bag and the flower earrings might give off the 'earth girl' vibe but a hippie? Maybelle picked up on her shock right away.

"Not to offend!" She said hurriedly. "It's just…your hair is so long and the bag….I'm sorry I was being awful judgemental! You go along now!" Maybelle fluttered embarrassed back into her home. Katie slowly picked up her suitcase and continued down to town. Such strange people…a hippie?

True, Katie's red hair was nearly at her waist-but a hippie? God lord!

Katie walked by a bunch of teeny house all with old ladies with fans staring at her. She could almost feel the rumor mill turning as she passed by. She got a nice death glare from an old lady fanning herself with a flyswatter. There were two ladies on the porch, a younger black one and a much, much older white one. The white one was staring her down, which made Katie try to hurry along.

"Down right there, you see her! She's a hooker I say!" The particularly nasty lady yelled. That caught Katie's attention. She wasn't exactly in church clothes but a green tank top and shorts by no means made her a hooker!

"Excuse me miss?" She snapped back. This seemed to take the other lady, the black one by surprise but the older white one didn't seem to care.

"Miss? Listen hooker, mah name is Mrs. Farbuelah Brooks and you best respect your elders if you can respect anything at all!"

"Farbuelah…" her friend began but Katie didn't seem to hear her at the time.

"I am not a hooker and I'd appreciate it if you'd stop calling me that!" She called back at her. The old lady remained in her seat, smoothed her pale, purple dress and smirked.

"I'd appreciate it if you'd stop selling yourself for the devil-"That really got Katie fuming, this was by far the most irritating women of any age that she had ever met.

"Oh screw you!" She cried and began to walk towards the local motel where she was supposed to be saying.

"Spoken like a true hooker! Now this is a nice town with nobody in mind to see the likes of you so-" Farbuelah just kept hollering as Katie tried to walk away.

" That's strange because the only reason I'm in this damn town is because somebody murder a close friend of my editors." She mumbled under her breath.

"What was that hooker?" Farbuelah was raised out of her seat now. Her friend was trying to but her back in her seat. "Words of hatred and lust? Repent you evil hooker-" Katie had been digging her boots into the dirt, making a nice little dirt storm as she walked on by. Two little kids who had been playing outside stopped and stared at her.

'Great are they going to start screaming at me too? Damn xenophobic, southern-'

"Do you normally get into fights with old ladies or is today just a special occasion?" She let out a groan. She turned with a retort but was stopped by the sight a smirking shirtless man.

"Not an everyday occasion, but neither is getting called a hooker by possibly the most evil person I've ever met so think what you will." Katie spit out after a few moments of ogling.

"That's my grandma." Katie could feel her already impossibly hot body get a warmer.

"oh…" The boy just laughed.

"Don't worry about, she is evil! I never liked her. So who are you? Never seen you before and in this town that's sayin something." Katie refused to let herself fall for a cute southern twang.

"Katie Gardener. New York Post, I'm doing a story about a Miss. Dawnalee?" She said digging in her bag to find her note book. The boy slipped his fingers through his belt loops and whistled.

"New York Post? Miss. Newspaper reporter huh? Well Dawnalee's outta town but she'll be back by tonight. Probably at Morris's." he said with a smirk. Katie could tell what he was trying to do, she decided to play along.

"So where is this Morris's?" She asked she had whipped out her pencil and notebook and looked at him with an expectant eyebrow raise.

"Uptown, northish. I'm shit with directions. Maybe I should just take you there…" He gave her a smirk. She smirked right back.

"You're a Stoll aren't you?" She asked, hoping she had guessed right. He let out a bark of a laugh.

"Shit, I'm famous in New York too? Travis Stoll ma'am." He gave her a bow. She rolled her eyes but maintained a Stepford smile.

"Well Mr. Stoll, I already have a meeting set up with Dawnalee tonight so there'll be no need to go out. So sorry. Bye!" She said strutting away proudly. Ha! One turned down, one to go. Get their inbred hands all over me my ass-

"But then how will you get your watch back?" He called. Katie spun around.

"My wa-" He was dangling it in front of him with a way to satisfied grin on his face.

"Give that back you thief-" She said running back trying to grab it, but Travis was much taller than her so he just dangled it above her head.

"Tonight….dinner…" He offered again. She crossed her arms.

"I'll call the police." She said as a matter of factly.

"Oh you mean Charlie? Man I love Charlie, you'd probably call him Sheriff Beckendorf, but we've been friends since we was born you see. I introduced him to his wife actually." He told her with the same tone. Katie felt defeated kept the same determined expression.

"Oh fine, keep it. It's a shit watch anyway." She said turning. 'Lie, total lie, that's one of the nicest pieces of jewelry I own….'. She began to march away, praying that it would work.

"Aw shit, called my bluff! I'll give you the watch!" He called just as she was getting nervous he wasn't going to fold. She turned and walked back holding out her hand. He graciously put it back in her hand. "But I aint gonna give the notebook back till tonight!" He proudly showed her the little green notebook she had taken with her

"How the hell-"

"Be sure to wear something pretty!" He said as he walked backwards towards a pickup truck that had just pulled up with a nearly identical boy driving it. "After all-it's Valentine's Day!"


	2. A Southern Murder

The Swamp Motel was NOT the ideal place for anybody to spend for more than a few hours. Katie wasn't even sure she'd feel clean after showering because the showers were filthy too. This is probably were the murder happened.

Katie shuddered. A murderer was not exactly what she wanted to report on. This was serious shit, dangerous shit. Not the type of thing a young reporter was really ready for-especially since the case wasn't exactly 'closed' yet.

"So let's see, I've got a murder to deal with, a murderer still out there, a shitty hotel room in an even shittier town and I'm being blackmailed into a date with an inbred thief. Happy Valentine's Day Katie you've definitely earned this one." She muttered to herself as she yanked off a cowgirl boot and tossed it aside.("Note to self" she scribbled on a pad the motel had provided "Take Maybelle up on her offer"). She yanked the other one off with an 'oof' and began to dig through her bag for her sandals. She put on her wedges, decorated with floral straps and began to look at her hair in the chipped and smudged mirror.

She wasn't a bad looking girl, but she was no southern belle that was for sure. Her high cheek bones and angular face made her look quite foreign here. Not to mention her hair was flat as a pancake, not at all the blonde, balloon hair the south was known for.

"Ms. Gardener?" There was rapid knocking at her door. Katie jumped in fright then answered the door.

Now if Mrs. Farabuleh saw this girl she probably would've declared Katie a saint. This girl was in a belly showing tube top, a mini skirt and four inch heels. Her nails were a half inch long and her makeup was impossible to describe without using the term 'stripper' or 'porn'.

"Uh…hi!" Katie said taken a back. The poor girl looked scared out of her wits.

"I'm Dawnalee? I um, can I, ah, come in?" Katie opened the door some more to let the tiny Dawnalee run in. She sat down on the bed, staring at the floor. Katie closed the door and looked at her curiously. She slowly walked over to the bed.

"So Miss Reynolds…" She started. Dawnalee looked up at her.

"Just call me Dawn. I aint no fancy 'Miss'. I'm just…." She looked back at the ground. Katie groaned, Dawn had one of the thickest accents she'd heard so far. It would be a little hard to translate.

"So Dawn, you were really close to Miss. Chase right?" Katie began as she sat down on the bed next to her. Dawn sniffed a bit.

'Damn it why don't I have my damn notebook when I need it!' She cursed in her head as Dawn looked up at her.

"Me and Annabeth were second cousins. Almost like sisters. She was the smart one though. Like, a million times smarter than anybody here. She was goin to college and was gonna be a big architext or somethin." Katie fought the urge to correct her.

"I'm so sorry. Dawn, why are you here? Our meeting was going to be in a few hours…" Dawn gave her a shaky smile.

"I got scared." She shrugged. "I mean, I heard from The Stolls you had arrived and I just…I don't like being alone for long periods in time…" Katie could see right through that bullshit.

Dawn was afraid of someone. Someone she knew. The person that murdered Annabeth Chase. Katie wished she had her notebook. Writing things down was how she thought. It helped her so much.

"Well we can keep each other company." She patted her leg. "Does anybody else know about…what happened to your cousin?" She tried to be as sensitive as possible. Not an easy task for Ms. Gardener. Dawn shook her head and sniffed a bit more. ("Probably trained herself not to cry so she won't ruin her make up." Katie scribbled down rather cynically). She shook her head.

"They all think she's away at a college visit. Only me and her boyfriend Luke know about it. I don't…I can't…these people are all her friends and family and I don't want…to be the one…" Katie patted her leg again. Considering that it was barely covered it was quite a bit awkward for Katie.

"Well it's her family's right to know. I know you don't want to be the bearer of bad news but...if you don't want to I will." Dawn broke down crying and wrapped her arms around Katie.

"Oh thank you! Thank you! I'll come do it with you but the words can't…come out of my mouth to them. We'll tell them." Katie was incredibly uncomfortable and she patted Dawn's shoulder.

"Ok sounds good. Sounds good." Dawn quickly wiped her eyes and regained her composure.

"I hate cryin. Especially in front of strangers. Would you mind….letting me hang around here? For a bit?" Katie bit her lip. She wanted to say NO! NO! NO!, but that would lose so much for the story. Dawn was just a dumpster of information, but Katie wasn't sure what was gold and what was trash.

"You can come to Morris's with me. I need to meet this boy Travis Stoll there to get something of mine and you seem to know the Stolls." Katie said with a nod. Dawn let out a giggle that let Katie know way too much about Dawn's sex life.

"Oh yeah. I know Connor _reaaaally _well!" Katie shuddered. Not an image she liked to have in her head.

"What about Travis?" She asked absentmindedly looking through her bag for something a bit more presentable for Dawn to wear. She pulled out a pair of tight Capri pants. Of course they'd be huge on itty bitty Dawn, but they'd have to do.

Dawn smirked.

"Oh he's real interested in you! You like him?" Katie tossed the pants at Dawn which made her jump and let out a little scream.

"Nope, put those on please. We're going to a bar not a strip club." Katie said as a matter o factly. Dawn looked a little hurt and reluctantly put them on.

"Do you have a belt or something? These things are huge!" She complained as she tried to adjust them. Katie frowned, but then put her Stepford smile back on. She got the feeling she'd use that a lot while in this town.

"I have a belt if you have a car!" She said. Dawn smiled.

"I sure as hell do! I've got a real nice truck, we're taking that to Morris's right? Are you wearing that?" She asked with a bit of a laugh. Katie tried not to snap at her. There was nothing wrong with what she was wearing! She looked fine! Just fine!

"Yes and yes." She said as politely as she could. She grabbed a belt from the bag and tossed it over to Dawn. "Now lets go get that truck."

X^X^X^X^X

Morris's is what one would expect out of a southern bar. It was quaint, smelled greasy and fantastic and had stuffed alligators just about everywhere.

Katie jumped when she first spotted the stuffed alligator out side the entrance.

"Is that…?" She looked at Dawn who was still moping about her pants.

"Oh yeah, that's Hoyt. First gator Jo Morris ever killed. He's kinda the ascot or something." Dawn opened the door as Katie fought the urge to run away in fear.

"Hell ya! Somebody yelled over the loud country music as he spotted Dawn. Within a few seconds Katie was alone and Dawn was getting some free drinks. Katie groaned and scanned the packed place for the blonde haired boy.

Nearly the entire town was stuffed into the small restaurant. She saw Maybelle who seemed to be talking the ears off of some boy who looked very bored, she saw the black lady who had shared a porch with Mrs. Farabulah, but no Travis.

"Hiya there pretty lady!" A very enthusiastic voice said and grabbed her shoulder. She spun around, ready to go New York City on his ass when she saw Travis's brother Connor. "I guess you're a little lost huh? Well, I'll be your tour guide!" Katie shook his arm off and started to walk into the bar.

"Leave me alone or tell me where your brother is." She demanded. Connor pouted.

"But sugar, I had a tour all set up…shit fiiiiiiiiiine! I'll show you! He's over in the back booth behind the pool table." Connor said before giving her a wink. "He said he's got a special present for you!"

"I'd prefer cancer." She snapped as she went over to the booth. After navigating around the drunken rednecks she ended up at the table. She had to admit-Travis was just as hot in a flannel shirt as he was shirtless. Travis stood as she drew closer.

"Well shoot Katie! You look wonderful. Please have a seat, I'll get us some beers." He said with a big smile. Katie held out her hand.

"My notebook?" Travis grabbed her hand flipped it over and kissed it.

"After dinner dear."

"_Before_ dinner dear." Katie said snapping her hand back. Travis pouted, spookily similar to Connor's pout and Katie crossed her arms.

'But then how will I remember for you to explain all your little notes!" Katie's eyes shot sparks and her nostrils flared.

"If you read my notebook then I will personally castrate you and feed it to Hoyt!" She snarled. Travis laughed.

"Are you sure you're not from the South? You've certainly got that Southern fire!" He said as he produced the notebook as a peace offering.

"That's called New York Grit." Katie snatched the notebook. She wrote everything in there. Stuff about stories, friends, her nonexistent sex life.

"Please have some dinner! If you do I promise to forget that Lee Fletcher is a sex god!" Travis called as Katie walked away. She froze and glared at him. Travis shrugged. "And that Will Solace has a pecker the size off-"

Katie sat down, her face bright red. "I'll eat a damn burger if you shut the hell up!" Travis grinned victoriously.

"Manny! Two Buds over here!" Travis yelled at the bartender. "I'd suggest the chicken fried steak instead of a burger. Man its like a chicken and a cow had a baby then they fried it and mmmmmm!" He rub his stomach. Katie was still bright red. She did not like people reading her notebook. Espically not sexy southern boys that are convinced she'll do whatever they say.

"Do you know Annabeth Chase?" Katie asked suddenly. Travis looked at her a little unsure.

"uh…yeah. Nice girl, smart as hell, why?" He said. "MANNY! BEER! OVER HERE!" He yelled. Katie began to scribble in her notebook.

"Do you know Luke?" She asked again. Manny brought over a few beers.

"Bout time!" Travis said with a grin. Manny rolled his eyes.

"You try hearing in this mad house. Now you have fun sugar." He winked at Katie, She didn't like it when people did that. Boys seemed to like to that here a lot.

"Luke? Annabeth's boyfriend?" She tried again with Travis who looked uncomfortable. He took a sip of his beer.

"Don't you want to know about me? Instead of some random couple?" He asked. Katie leaned back in her seat. Maybe she should play coy.

"What makes you think I want to know you?"

"Well….I want to know you." He said kind of shyly. Katie wasn't buying it. A slow, southern ballad came on and Katie winced. She hated this music. "Where are you from?"

"New York. You know that."

"Well…always?"He tried as he looked over at some table behind her. Katie followed his eyes and he was looking at the waitress.

"yes. City girl through and through."

"Wow you must be miserable here." He said with a laugh as the waitress came over to table.

"Hi y'all! We've got some fried frog legs as a special!" Katie tried to swallow. Being a vegetarian would not bode well here.

"…you have no idea." She muttered.


End file.
